Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Trepidation among the “keepers”: Gendered Perceptions of Fear and Risk of Victimization among Corrections Officers

  • Published:
American Journal of Criminal Justice Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Determining the attitudes of correctional officers relative to their level of fear and risk of victimization is important to investigate due to the relationship of the conditions of confinement and the care and custody of offenders. Furthermore, consideration of such attitudes by gender may uncover differences because of the unique obstacles female corrections officers face. This study examines the level of fear and risk of both inmate and staff related victimization by gender through administering a survey to all corrections officers employed in the adult prisons within one-state. The overall analysis indicated some level of apprehension among officers regarding their fear and risk of victimization for inmate-precipitated victimization more than staff-to-staff victimization. Female officers were also more likely to demonstrate a higher level of perceived fear and risk of inmate-precipitated and staff-precipitated victimization. In addition, race and security level were shown to be significant as predictors of both fear and perceived risk of victimization among officers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Armstrong, G., & Griffin, M. (2004). Does the job matter? Comparing correlates of stress among treatment and correctional staff in prisons. The Journal of Psychology, 133, 441–455.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, T. (2005). The 2005 Correctional Officer: New roles, new inmates, new challenges. Retrieved on February 15, 2000 from Commission on Safety and Abuse in America’s Prisons http://www.pdfdownload.org/pdf2html/pdf2html.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.prisoncommission.org%2Fstatements%2Fbeck.pdf&images=yes

  • Beck, A. J., & Harrison, P. M. (2001). Prisoners in 2000. Washington: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Belknap, J. (1995). Women in conflict: An analysis of women correctional officers. In B. R. Price & N. J. Sokoloff (Eds.), The criminal justice system and women: Offenders, victims, and workers (2nd ed., pp. 404–420). New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Black, S. (2001). Correctional employee stress and strain. Corrections Today, 63, 82–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowker, L. (1980). Prison victimization. New York: Elsevier North Holland, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braswell, M., Dillingham, S., & Montgomery, R. (1985). Prison violence in America. Cincinnati, OH: Anderson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Britton, D. (1997). Gendered organizational logic: policy and practice in men’s and women’s prisons. Gender and Society, 11(6), 796–818.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2001). Law enforcement officers most at risk for workplace violence. Washington: U.S. Department of Justice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Camp, S. D. (1994). Assessing the effects of organizational commitment and job satisfaction on turnover: an event history approach. The Prison Journal, 74(3), 279–305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Camp, S., Gaes, G., Langan, N., & Saylor, W. (2003). The influence of prison on inmate misconduct: a multi-level investigation. Justice Quarterly, 20, 501–533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, S. B. (2009). Inmate-perpetrated harassment: exploring the gender-specific experience of female corrections officers. Dissertation Abstract International 70, no. 02A (2009): p. 695.Retrieved August 25, 2010 from Dissertations and Theses Database.

  • Colvin, M. (1982). The 1980 New Mexico prison riot. Social Problems, 29, 449.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crouch, B. (1985). Pandora’s box: women guards in men’s prisons. Journal of Criminal Justice, 13, 535–548.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cullen, F., Link, B., Wolfe, N., & Frank, J. (1985). The social dimensions of correctional officer stress. Justice Quarterly, 2, 505–533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DiIulio, J. J. (1987). Governing prisons. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dowden, C., & Tellier, C. (2004). Predicting work-related stress in correctional officers: a meta-analysis. Journal of Criminal Justice, 32, 31–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duhart, D. (2001). Violence in the workplace, 1993–1999. Washington: Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, D., Grasmick, H., & Gilman, B. (1974). Violence in prisons: a sociological analysis. The American Journal of Sociology, 80, 16–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feinman, C. (1986). Women in the criminal justice system (2nd ed.). New York: Praeger Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flanagan, T. (1980). Time served and institutional misconduct: Patterns of involvement in disciplinary infractions among long-term and short-term inmates. Journal of Criminal Justice, 8, 357–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flanagan, T. (1983). Correlates of institutional misconduct among state prisoners. Criminology, 21, 29–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gaes, G., & McGuire, W. (1985). Prison violence: the contribution of crowding versus other determinants of prison assault rates. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 22, 41–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia, R. M. (2008). Individual and institutional demographic and organizational climate correlates of perceived danger among federal correctional officers. Dissertation Abstract International 69, no. 08A (2008). Retrieved August 25, 2010 from Dissertations and Theses Database.

  • Garner, B., Knight, K., & Simpson, D. (2007). Burnout among corrections-based drug treatment staff: impact of individual and organizational factors. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 51, 510–522.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodey, J. (1997). Boys don’t cry: Masculinities, fear of crime, and fearlessness. British Journal of Criminology, 37, 401–419.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, J. A., & Moriarty, L. J. (2007). Who’s afraid of Johnny Rotten? Assessing female correctional staff’s perceived fear and risk of victimization in a juvenile male institution. Chapter 40. In R. Muraskin (Ed.), It’s a crime: Women and justice (4th ed., pp. 661–678). Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, J. A., Moriarty, L. J., & Grant, P. H. (2003). Juvenile correctional officers’ perceived fear and risk of victimization: examining individual and collective levels of victimization in two juvenile correctional centers in Virginia. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 30(1), 62–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grant, P. (2002). An analysis of the perceived level of fear and risk of victimization of correctional officers in a nontraditional therapeutic juvenile correctional center versus a traditional juvenile correctional center. (Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Commonwealth University).

  • Griffin, M., Hogan, N., Lambert, E., Tucker-Gail, K., & Baker, D. (2010). Job involvement, job stress, job satisfaction and organizational commitment and the burnout of correctional staff. Criminal Justice Behavior, 37, 239–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hale, C. (1996). Fear of crime: a review of the literature. International Review of Victimology, 4, 79–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedderson, J. (1987). Spssx made easy. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt, J. D., Poole, E. D., & Regoli, R. M. (1984). Self-reported and observed rule-breaking in prison: a look at disciplinary response. Journal of Criminal Justice, 12, 437–447.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurst, T., & Hurst, M. (1994). Gender differences in mediation of severe occupational stress among correctional officers. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 22(1), 121–137.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Irwin, J. (1980). Prisons in turmoil. Boston: Little, Brown and Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Irwin, J., & Cressey, D. R. (1962). Thieves, convicts and the inmate culture. Social Problems, 10, 142–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarred, S. (1996). County jail correctional officers and occupational stress: the gender dimension. Dissertation Abstract International 58, no. 01A, (1996): 0299.). Retrieved August 25, 2010 from Dissertations and Theses Database.

  • Jenne, D. L., & Kersting, R. C. (1998). Gender, power, and reciprocity in the correctional setting. The Prison Journal, 78, 166–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, R. (1976). Culture and crises in confinement. Lexington: Lexington Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jurik, N. C. (1985). An officer and a lady: organizational barriers to women working as correctional officers in men’s prisons. Social Problems, 32(4), 375–388.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jurik, D. L. (1988). Striking a balance: female correction officers, gender role stereotypes, and male prisons. Sociological Inquiry, 58, 291–305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jurik, N. C., & Musheno, M. (1986). The internal crisis of corrections: professionalization and the work environment. Justice Quarterly, 3(3), 457–480.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jurik, N. C., & Winn, R. (1987). Describing correctional security dropouts and rejects: an individual or organizational profile? Criminal Justice and Behavior, 14(1), 5–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Killias, M., & Clerici, C. (2000). Different measure of vulnerability in their relation to different dimensions of fear of crime. British Journal of Criminology, 40, 437–450.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kinsell, L., & Shelden, R. (1981). A survey of correctional officers at a medium security prison. Corrections Today, 43, 40–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kissel, P. J., & Katsampes, P. L. (1980). The impact of women correctional officers on the functioning of institutions housing male inmates. Journal of Offender Counseling, Services, and Rehabilitation, 4, 213–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lahm, K. F. (2008). Inmate-on-Inmate Assault: a multilevel examination of prison violence. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 35, 120–137.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, E. (2001). To stay or quit: a review of the literature on correctional staff turnover. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 26, 61–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, E. (2004). The impact of job characteristics on correctional staff. Prison Journal, 84, 208–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, E. (2006). I want to leave: a test of a model of turnover intent among correctional staff. Applied Psychology in Criminal Justice, 2, 57–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, E., Hogan, N., & Altheimer, I. (2010). An exploratory examination of the consequences of burnout in terms of life satisfaction, turnover intent, and absenteeism among private correctional staff. The Prison Journal, 90, 94–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, E. G., Hogan, N. L., & Barton, S. M. (2002). Satisfied correctional staff: a review of the literature on the correlates of correctional staff job satisfaction. Criminal Justice & Behavior, 29(2), 115–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, E., Hogan, N., & Tucker, K. (2009). Problems at work: exploring the correlates of role stress among correctional officers. The Prison Journal, 89, 460–481.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, R., & Mahan, S. (1998). Women correctional officers in men’s prisons: acceptance and perceived job performance. Women and Criminal Justice, 9, 63–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, D., & Salem, G. (1986). Fear of crime: incivility and the production of a social problem. New Brunswick: Transaction Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Light, S. C. (1990). The severity of assaults on prison officers: a contextual study. Social Science Quarterly, 71, 267–284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Light, S. C. (1991). Assaults on prison officers: Interactional themes. In M. C. Braswell, R. H. Montgomery, & L. X. Lombardo (Eds.), Prison violence in America (pp. 207–223). Cincinnati: Anderson Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacKenzie, D. (1987). Age and adjustment to prison. Criminal Justice Behavior, 14, 427–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahan, S. (1994). An ‘Orgy of Brutality’ at Attica and the ‘Killing Ground’ at Santa Fe: A comparison of prison riots. In M. Braswell, R. Montgomery, & L. Lombardo (Eds.), Prison violence in America (2nd ed., pp. 253–264). Cincinnati: Anderson Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marquart, J. W. (1986). Prison guards and the use of physical coercion as a mechanism of prisoner control. Criminology, 24, 347–366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCorkle, R. C., Miethe, T., & Drass, K. A. (1995). The roots of prison violence: a test of the deprivation, management, and not-s-total institutions models. Crime and Delinquency, 41(3), 1317–1331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, O., MacKenzie, D. L., Styve, G., & Gover, A. (2000). The impact of individual, organizational, and environmental attributes on voluntary turnover among juvenile staff members. Justice Quarterly, 17, 334–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery, R. H. (1994). American prison riots: 1774–1991. In M. Braswell, R. Montgomery, & L. Lombardo (Eds.), Prison violence in America (pp. 227–251). Cincinnati: Anderson Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, R. D., Van Haveren, R. A., & Pearson, C. A. (2002). Correctional officer burnout: Further analysis. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 29(2), 144–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morris, N., & Hawkins, D. (1970). The honest politician’s guide to crime control. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parisi, N. (1984). The female correctional officer: her progress toward and prospects for equality. The Prison Journal, 64, 92–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, C. (1982). Doing time with the boys: an analysis of women correctional officers in all-male facilities. In B. Price & N. Sokoloff (Eds.), The criminal justice system and women: women offenders, victims, workers (pp. 437–460). New York: Clark Boardman Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Philiber, S. (1987). Thy brother’s keeper: a review of the literature on correctional officers. JusticeQuarterly, 4, 9–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poole, E. D., & Regoli, R. M. (1980). Role stress, custody orientation, and disciplinary actions. Criminology, 18(2), 215–226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Potter, J. (1980). Should women guards work in prisons for men? Corrections Magazine, 5, 30–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Riger, S., LeBailly, R., & Gordon, M. (1981). Community ties and urbanites’ fear of crime: an ecological investigation. American Journal of Community Psychology, 9, 653–655.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rountree, P., & Land, K. (1996). Burglary victimization, perceptions of crime risk, and routine activities: a multilevel analysis across Seattle neighborhoods and census tracts. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 33, 147–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silberman, M. (1995). A world of violence: corrections in America. Belmont: Wadsworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sisco, M. M., & Becker, J. V. (2007). Beyond predicting the risk of sexual victimization in prison – considering inmate options and reporting avenues for addressing an inherent problem. Criminology and Public Policy, 6(3), 573–584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skogan, W. G., & Maxfield, M. G. (1981). Coping with crime: Individual and neighborhood reactions. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.

  • Steinke, P. (1991). Using situational factors to predict violence. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 17, 119–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stephen, J. (1998). Prison rule violators. Washington: Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stohr, M., Mays, G. L., & Gallegos, A. M. (1996). Parallel perceptions: Gender, job enrichment and job satisfaction among correctional officers in womens jails. Presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Las Vegas, Nevada.

  • Stohr, M., Lovich, N., Jr., Menke, B., & Zupan, L. (1994). Staff management in correctional institutions: comparing DiIulio’s ‘control model’ and ‘employee investment model’ outcomes in five jails. Justice Quarterly, 11(3), 471–497.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stohr, M., Self, R., & Lovrich, N. (1992). Staff turnover in new generation jails: an investigation of its causes and preventions. Journal of Criminal Justice, 20, 455–478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sylvester, S. F., Reed, J. H., & Nelson, D. O. (1977). Prison homicide. New York: Spectrum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szockyj, E. (1989). Working in a man’s world: women correctional officers in an institution for men. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Corrections, 31(3), 319–328.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taxman, F., & Gordon, J. (2009). Do fairness and equity matter?: an examination of organizational justice among correctional officers in adult prisons. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 36, 695–711.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toch, H. (1977). Violence from without and within: Safety. In M. C. Braswell, R. H. Montgomery, & L. X. Lombardo (Eds.), Prison violence in America (pp. 11–25). Cincinnati: Anderson Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toch, H., & Adams, K. (1986). Pathology and disruptiveness among prison inmates. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 23, 7–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Triplett, R., Mullings, J. L., & Scarborough, K. E. (1996). Work-related stress and coping among correctional officers: Implications from organizational literature. Journal of Criminal Justice, 24, 291–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Useem, B. (1985). Disorganization and the New Mexico prison riot of 1980. American Sociological Review, 50, 677–688.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Useem, B., & Kimball, P. (1989). State of Seige: U.S. prison riots, 1971–1986. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Useem, B., & Piehl, A. M. (2006). Prison buildup and disorder. Punishment and Society, 8, 87–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Voorhis, P., Cullen, F. T., Link, B. G., & Wolfe, N. T. (1991). The impact of race and gender on correctional officers’ orientation to the integrated environment. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 28, 472–500.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walters, S. (1992). Attitudinal and demographic differences between male and female correctional officers. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 18, 173–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warchol, G. (1998). Workplace violence, 1992–96. Washington: Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webb, G.L. & Morris, D.E. (1978). The culture and perspective of an occupational group. Coker Books.

  • Wicks, R. (1980). Guard! society’s professional prisoner. Houston: Gulf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolff, N., Blitz, C. L., Shi, J., Siegel, J., & Bachman, R. (2007). Physical violence inside prisons: rates of victimization. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34(5), 588–599.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, K., & Saylor, W. (1991). Male and female employees’ perceptions of prison work: is there a difference? Justice Quarterly, 8(4), 505–524.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, K., Saylor, W., Gilman, E., & Camp, S. (1997). Job control and occupational outcomes among prison workers. Justice Quarterly, 14(3), 525–546.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zimmer, L. E. (1986). Women guarding men. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmer, L. E. (1987). How women reshape the prison guard role. Gender and Society, 1, 415–431.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zupan, L. (1986). Gender-related differences in correctional officers’ perceptions and attitudes. Journal of Criminal Justice, 14, 349–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Virginia Commonwealth University, 923 W. Franklin Street, P.O. Box 842028, Richmond, VA, 23284-2028, USA

    Jill A. Gordon, Blythe Proulx & Patricia H. Grant

Authors
  1. Jill A. Gordon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Blythe Proulx
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Patricia H. Grant
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jill A. Gordon.

Additional information

The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance from Dr. Faye S Taxman, University Professor at George Mason University, for access to the data.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gordon, J.A., Proulx, B. & Grant, P.H. Trepidation among the “keepers”: Gendered Perceptions of Fear and Risk of Victimization among Corrections Officers. Am J Crim Just 38, 245–265 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-012-9167-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-012-9167-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation